Hufflepuff Shocked Info-Dump Gains Him a Friend
by starspangledpumpkin
Summary: How Newt became friends with Leta.


**Hufflepuff**

**Fifth Year**

**Standard**

**Prompt**: Newt Era

**Word Count: **995

**Challenges:** Hufflepuff MC; Slytherin MC; Ethnic & Present; Quiet Time; Neurodivergent; In a Flash; Yellow Ribbon; Click Bait It

**Space Address:** 5A - Frog/Tadpole

**Warnings**: bullying

**Team Leta Lestrange Deserved Better.**

~o0o~

Newt waded around the shallows of the Black Lake, his robes tied up to free his legs and his sleeves pushed to his elbows. The water was cold at first, but he soon became accustomed to the chill.

Panicked breathing alerted him and over the hill came a girl with black coils and tears streaking down her warm, brown cheeks. She skidded to a halt and dove behind a fallen tree.

"She went this way!" someone shouted.

A group of students ran over the hill and stopped when they saw Newt.

"Well, that Lestrange freak gave us the slip, but he'll do," said the ring leader. Newt recognized him but was terrible with names.

"No, he's Theseus Scamander's younger brother," said another. "He'll hex us into oblivion if we hurt his brother."

Newt avoided looking at them and found a frog which he cupped gently in his hands. The bullies went away, perhaps in search of a new victim. The girl from before left her hiding place.

"Why didn't you tell them where I was?" she asked.

"Because unlike my brother, I am not a bully," said Newt, keeping his eyes anywhere but her face. Her hands, her ear, her shoes… he didn't know why he couldn't look people in the eyes.

"Well, thank you," she said and twisted her robe sleeves in her hands.

"Oh, where are my manners?" Newt fumbled around his pockets and ended up holding the frog out to her rather than the handkerchief he intended. "Newt."

"I might not know much in the way of animals," she said, "but I'm certain that's a frog."

"Er—no, I mean, my name is Newt," he said. "Could you hold him for a moment? I have a handkerchief you can use."

"I'm Leta," she said. "We have Potions together, yes?"

"Anything that doubles Hufflepuffs and Slytherins," said Newt, hurrying to his bag and digging around for a handkerchief. He didn't have much in the way of friends and he promised his mother he would try. Theseus seemed to make friends by offering people a service as well as smiling and not dumping information on people. "Here!"

He stuck his hand out and Leta took the sock from his hand. She quirked up and eyebrow and giggled.

"Sorry, that's not right." Newt blushed and took the sock back.

"It's okay," said Leta, wiping her face with her sleeve. "Do you often come to the lake?"

"Well, there are so many interesting creatures in the shallows," said Newt. "Would you like to see?"

"Okay."

Newt did a double-take. "Really?"

"I said 'okay', didn't I?"

"Well, usually, by this point, the response I get is 'I have better things to do'."

"Show me, Newt."

Newt led her back to the shallows. "See this pool? Look closely."

Leta knelt down on the flat rock, so she wouldn't get her robes wet, and leaned over.

"See those little bubbles all along the side?" he continued. "Those aren't bubbles at all, but actually frog eggs. I've been watching them, and I think they're ready to hatch. Look."

The pair of them stared down into the water in complete silence, only moving to either scratch an itchy nose or adjust the way they were seated. Leta gasped in surprise when an egg burst and the tiny tadpole swam away. It took a while, but soon the pool was filled with dozens of tadpoles.

"Soon they're going to grow legs and become frogs," said Newt, getting his journal so he could sketch the tadpoles. "Isn't it interesting how some creatures can look completely different through each stage of their life? I mean, humans generally look the same they just get bigger, same with crups and kneazles, but butterflies start off as caterpillars and then they become chrysali, and then they completely transform. Frogs start off as eggs, they slowly become half-fish, half-lizard, and then we get a creature with arms and legs when they previously had none. Butterflies get wings even when they previously had none. I wonder if they know it's going to happen or if they just go through life thinking they're one thing, go to sleep, and wake up something completely different. I sometimes wish I could wake up as someone different."

"Do you like creatures, Newt?" Leta asked.

"Oh, yes," said Newt. "All sorts. I could go on for ages about them."

"I'd like to learn more, if that's alright."

"Well, the library has plenty of books on the subject."

Leta laughed, and Newt found he quite liked it.

"I meant I'd like to learn more from you," she said.

"Oh." Newt grinned. "I think I'd like that."

"It's about dinner time," said Leta. "Will you walk with me?"

"Certainly, just let me get my shoes on." Newt didn't bother with socks since he tended to go straight to his dormitory after dinner.

The pair walked into the castle together and lingered side-by-side for as long as they could. Unfortunately, the Slytherin and Hufflepuff tables were divided by the Gryffindor table.

"There you are, freak," the bully from earlier hissed while casting a side-eye at the teacher's table. "We'll find your hiding place."

Leta lifted her nose in the air and while the bullies were distracted, Newt slipped a frog out of his pocket and dropped it down the boy's shirt. He shouted in surprise, leaped out of his chair, and jumped around trying to get at it. The Hall erupted into laughter at the sight.

"Newton Scamander!"

Theseus grabbed Newt by the arm. "You are in so much trouble!"

"I'm your brother!" Newt protested.

"A fact I'm reminded of every day," Theseus spat. "Come on, we'll see what your Head of House has to say about this."

Newt looked back to see Leta holding the frog. She smiled, placed a finger to her lips, and put the frog in her pocket. Newt smiled back. Detention would be worth it. It seemed he finally had a friend.


End file.
